On subtlety

When I was considering whether or not Dave should move to Iceland, one thing that spoke in favor of that idea was that he is from the South, Georgia to be specific. He, like any clever Southern boy, has a very subtle sense of humor, reinforced through a specific literary culture that often celebrates the witty turn of phrase over the bombastic. Icelandic literary culture does the same; the poetry in particular has a eye for the subtle details, the small changes, the gradual ebb and flow, and in this it seems as mature and thoughtful as Southern poetry. Unfortunately, one has to know Icelandic to appreciate it.